Wendy's Turns in Strong Q1 Thanks to New Burgers, Increased Royalties

With Q1 wrapped up and franchise brands turning in their first results reports of 2019, Wendy’s announced that it had a better quarter than originally anticipated, according to CNBC.

The QSR giant reported better-than-expected revenue and profit for the quarter, noting that it benefited from both higher royalty fees and a refreshed offering that included the launch of a new premium burger line.

In an effort to attract more customers seeking higher caliber fast food options, CNBC noted. Wendy’s new ‘Made to Crave’ burgers include ‘premium’ toppings such as avocado, applewood smoked bacon, asiago cheese and Kansas City-style barbecue sauce.

It has paid off so far, as Wendy’s total revenue rose 7.4% to $408.6 million, beating analysts’ estimates of $399.8 million, according to IBES data from Refinitiv included in the article. That same data revealed that profit margins at company-owned restaurants rose 15% as a result of the higher prices of these new products, compared to 13.9% a year earlier.